Tragic Happiness

Talking

Severus woke slowly for the first time in years. He was surrounded in thick, warm blankets and the mattress under him was firm, but comfortable. The teen felt warm and safe, and that instantly put him on guard.

Sitting up quickly, Severus looked around trying to find out where he was.

He was in a bedroom. The bedroom was an interesting mix of greys and blues with dark wood, but it was no less a bedroom.

A shock of panic ran through Severus, wondering if he had been kidnapped by someone. The last thing he remembered was talking to his mother in the graveyard.

Throwing the covers off, the teen looked around cautiously intending to get up and leave before whoever owned the room came back.

Severus' feet had barely touched the floor when an a door to his left swung open, startling him and causing him to flinch away on instinct.

A cloud of steam rolled out of the door, (indicating that the room beyond must have been the bathroom) followed by a large figure stepping into the bedroom.

Severus froze and his jaw went slack as Xander strolled across the room towards a tall dresser.

The man wore only a pair of light grey joggers that hung dangerously low on his hips and hugged his arse deliciously. His broad chest was damp making his warm skin glisten while taut, firm muscles ripple as he runs a towel over his head.

Severus swallowed thickly, his eyes roaming down Xander's body. It was safe to say he was quite distracted from his earlier panic and all thoughts of escape were momentarily forgotten.

That ended when Xander spoke up.

"You're awake." The Frenchman said softly, a small grin tugging his full lips upwards.

Severus managed to collect himself as Xander pulled on a shirt that he had dug out of one of the dresser drawers. The teen ignored the disappointment he felt as the skin was hidden from view.

"Indeed." He said lowly, eyeing the larger man in suspicion.

The teen was wary. He wasn't quite sure what was going on or how he ended up in Xander's room, but he intended to get answers.

Luckily it seemed he didn't have to do much to get them, as Xander spoke again.

"I hope you don't mind, but I kind of kidnapped you." The man confessed looking amused.

Severus stiffened and he knew his face must have showed his alarm as Xander's own eyes widen.

"Hmm, maybe those were the wrong choice of words." The older man said seeming to flounder slightly.

Severus glared at Xander, his mind working on ways to escape this obviously insane man.

Seeing the look the younger teen was giving him Xander seemed to get himself together.

"In my defense you fell asleep in the graveyard petite." He said, raising a challenging eyebrow at Severus.

"It was about to rain and I wasn't going to leave you to die of cold." Xander insisted.

"I didn't know where you lived petite or who to call and you were dead to the world. I didn't have many options, so I took you to my home." The man explained an amused grin now playing across his face.

Severus' glare softened a bit at the explanation, but he still didn't let his guard down.

Suddenly a fiend look of seriousness appeared on Xander's face, that was completely ruined by the wry amusement in his grey eyes.

"You know, you shouldn't fall asleep in graveyards petite. You never know what kind of creep could be lurking behind the gravestones and who knows? You could have been kidnapped in your sleep!" Xander scolded jokingly.

Severus, despite the situation, felt a flicker of amusement himself at the fact Xander was the creep who had 'kidnapped' him in his sleep.

But suddenly, what Xander said really sank in.

"Wait. You followed me to the graveyard?" Severus demanded. The only way Xander could've found him in the graveyard was if he had followed him when he had ran from the restaurant.

Xander sobered and nodded, crossing his arms over his massive chest, making Severus get momentarily distracted as he watched the older man's arms and chest flex deliciously.

"Oui. You were distressed petite and I was worried about you. I wanted to make sure you were safe and made it home unharmed." The man said firmly, but sincerely.

Despite himself Severus felt a ray of warmth wriggle its way into his chest and he fought the blush he felt trying to heat his cheeks.

Those feeling were quickly snuffed by another realization.

"What did you hear?" He demanded, finally standing from the bed as not to feel so vulnerable.

If Xander had followed him to the graveyard and then carried him him to his home then, he must have been watching him while he talked to his mother. He must have heard him sniveling and sobbing like a toddler and Severus felt sick at the very thought of someone seeing him that vulnerable. That raw.

Xander sighed, but met Severus' eyes head on.

"I heard everything petite." He said truthfully.

The younger teen felt like he had been punched in the gut and his walls instantly slammed down as anger filled him.

"How dare yo..MPH!" He started, but was cut off before he could unleash his fury upon the man.

Strong, large hands grabbed his arms before a firm, hot mouth enveloped his lips and forced them apart to initiate a kiss that made the teen's body burn.

Before he could regain his bearings the lips that had just been claiming his own vanished and he was looking up at Xander, to startled and dazed to remember what he had been angry about a moment before.

"I heard everything and I am glad I did petite." The larger man said fiercely.

"It just reaffirmed to me that I want to get to know you. That my thoughts about you being something unique and challenging were true." Xander said before once again kissing Severus as the teen starts to recover slightly.

Pulling back once again, the man ignored Severus' near silent sound of protest to gather the teen into his arms and press his forehead against the younger man's.

"Do not be embarrassed by releasing your emotions to your mother petite. I am truly sorry that I intruded without your permission, but I do not regret what I heard. It confirmed to me that you are a treasure that everyone has overlooked." Xander said firmly, grey eyes open and genuine as they bore into Severus' wide black ones.

"Go on another date with me petite." He implored.

"I want to try with you. I want to build on this attraction we share and see where it leads us. Wether it be as friends or lovers, I want to get to know you, because I feel wether we are either, it will last. We will last." Xander said fiercely, nothing but certainty in his eyes and voice.

Severus found himself thrown off kilter. No one had ever treated him this way. No one had ever spoken to him so sincerely nor had they ever held him so firmly and gently.

Looking into those sterling grey pools, that were so open and genuine without an ounce of pity or hidden intentions, Severus was caught once again.

"Okay." He whispered. His voice breathy and quite, but Xander heard.

The man grinned widely and hugged the shorter teen to his chest, resting his head against Severus'.

"Okay." The older man repeated back.

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1219 words

1262 words: edited

Sorry that I haven't updated in awhile. Writers block, then editing problems, then no internet holidays, but I finally got it rolling again!

I hope this chapter is okay, I wrote it while half asleep and sick.